Learning Links

Our Strategic Partners
VA NGO Network – with a mission to strengthen its member’s abilities to have a broad impact in humanitarian and development work in Vietnam, by building a united voice on issues of common interest, delivering practical benefits and building capacity for member organizations.www.va-ngo.org

Pacific Links Foundation (“Vòng Tay Thái Bình” in Vietnamese) has been fiscally responsible for our Solar Energy Appliance project. PALS is a 501(c)3 public charity whose mission is to support the sustainable development of Vietnamese communities and the enrichment of their cultural heritage.www.pacificlinks.org

Community SupportWorking Wardrobes serves men, women and teens emerging from a life crisis and committed to re-entering the workforce. They offer professional wardrobe and grooming services, career-readiness and image workshops, and a comprehensive career development center to increase peoples’ confidence and success in the workplace. www.workingwardrobes.org/

The Barefoot College was created in 1972 to serve educational needs for India’s poorest communities and now has campuses across India. Read more about this amazing organization: www.barefootcollege.org/

Focus on the Global South – A small NGO emphasizing on Thailand, India, and the Philippines. Focus’s overall goals are to: dismantle oppressive economic and political structures and institutions; to create liberating structures and institutions; to promote demilitarization and peace-building, instead of conflict.

TransportationPlug In America – advocates the use of plug-in cars, trucks and SUVs powered by cleaner, cheaper, domestic electricity to reduce our nation’s dependence on petroleum and improve the global environment. www.pluginamerica.org

Watch the movie that exposes the truth about electric cars, what they are capable of, and why they aren’t in dealer showrooms. “Who Killed the Electric Car?” is available on DVD now. Buy it online at Plug In America.

PlantsCalifornia Native Plant Society (CNPS) is a statewide non-profit organization of amateurs and professionals with a common interest in California’s native plants. They hold a plant sale each year in early April at the UCI Arboretum. www.cnps.org | www.plantsocieties.org

The Native Plant Conservation Campaign (NPCC) is a project of the California Native Plant Society and the Center for Biological Diversity, two of the nation’s leading biological diversity conservation science and advocacy groups.

Local Gardens & Nurseries
Closer to home check out UCI Arboretum, Cal State Fullerton Arboretum, and the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary (Sea and Sage Audubon House).

Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden out in Claremont /Pomona is an 86 acres of paradise, website also have loaded of natives plants information. www.rsabg.org/

Theodore Payne Foundation – nonprofit nursery. This is the other nursery that I buy from. www.theodorepayne.org

FoodSeafood Watch – Make Choices for Healthy Oceans and learn about farmed vs. wild fish pro and cons, how fish are caught, what damages can be done to the ocean floor, as well as what to order in the restaurants, grocers for sustainable seafood sources. www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/seafoodwatch.asp

Green Building CalEarth – This is the super adobe “sandbag” that we have used to make most of our terrace wall in the back yards, as well as steps. CalEarth in Hesperia offers an open house/workshop every month for individual and family who would like to learn how to build these types of structures using their products. Check out their links on Children at CalEarth, pretty fun to have kids build one of these domes. www.calearth.org

Builders Without Borders – this website allows readers and those with green building interest to become more involved with on-going projects and innovations with the organization. Free newsletter, workshops, and projects! Things like that you can find on this website. www.builderswithoutborders.org

Habitat For Humanity – If you have building material to drop off, if you are looking for building materials, sometimes brand new windows, door, appliances, custom order goods. why pay full price? www.habitat.org/env/restores.aspx